Deadpool 2: Every Marvel Movie Joke & Reference

They may not share the same universe, but Deadpool 2 is fully aware of Marvel's movie heroes and villains. That doesn't mean that fans should expect the two movie franchises to officially crossover - not yet, anyway - but it finally makes the movie version of Deadpool as pop culture aware as his comic book counterpart. Not just about the superhero movie genre in general, but the omni-present world of the MCU and its many Avengers stars. And it turns out Wade Wilson has some strong opinions about a few Marvel mainstays.

Whether it's Deadpool taking shots at the weakest of Marvel's movie Avengers, his continued troll war against Wolverine, or the fact that his movie's biggest villain played the Avengers' just weeks ago, fans won't want to miss a single MCU reference. Considering how filled with laughter their theaters might be, we're covering them all here.

8. Even Deadpool Throws Shade at Hawkeye

Let's just say it plainly: it's been a rough year or two for Clint Barton in Marvel's Cinematic Universe. There are reasons to believe that things might get worse for Hawkeye in Avengers 4, but based only on Infinity War, it's obvious he's one of the lowest members in the Avengers chain of command. It was one thing to leave him completely out of the action in the team's biggest battle to date, and quite another to crop him out of Infinity War trailers. Obviously, that's come to the attention of Wade Wilson, too.

After Wade kills on behalf of Russell Collins a.k.a. 'Firefist' he lands the pair of them in the mutant prison known as The Icebox, with collars around their necks to effectively nullify their superpowers. For Russell, that means he's just unable to use fire (which may be a good thing). For Wade, it's even worse: it means his cancer is allowed to progress unchecked, slowly killing him. As a result, he tells Russell that "I can't protect you. With this collar on my superpower is just unbridled cancer. Give me a bow and arrow, and I'm basically Hawkeye."

Well played, Wade. Now fans just have to ask whether Deadpool is intended to be referring to the movie character, breaking the fourth wall to the audience... or a real world member of the Avengers that exist in his own reality...

7. The Iron Man 2 Entrance

Not every reference to Marvel's movies is as easy to overlook as this one. As every MCU fan knows, the music of AC/DC has been synonymous with Iron Man since the very beginning. Literally. The first film to star Tony Stark opens with a military convoy blasting "Back in Black" as per the billionaire's request, and the tunes kept blasting from there. Most fans will remember Iron Man's arrival in The Avengers coming to back up Captain America in taking down Loki - again, set to AC/DC's "Shoot to Thrill." But it wasn't the first time that the hero used that particular track for a memorable entrance.

It was the opening scene of Iron Man 2 (after a villain-focused montage) that found Tony in full armor, standing inside an aircraft's bay, waiting to make his exit. The ramp dropped, Tony leaped, and the AC/DC blasted to celebrate what was clearly a moment Tony had carefully crafted as the perfect entrance to the reborn Stark Expo.

No surprise that once Deadpool has his X-Force assembled in their own helicopter, the chords of AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" trigger the action. The ramp open, the team exits, and Deadpool leaps in what is clearly his best impression of Iron Man's baddass bravado.

6. Metal Arms Are Big With Marvel

Some references are easier to see coming, and with Cable's most notable physical attribute being his metallic left arm (the eye/face is significantly toned down for the movie) it would have been the safest bet to assume that James "Bucky" Barnes would be brought up in the conversation. Technically, the metal left arm worn by Josh Brolin is the result of Cable's infection with a techno-organic virus that the movie's writers hope to explore in a sequel. In the comics, Cable is one of the most powerful telekinetic mutants to have lived - but is forced to use most of it containing the infection to the left side of his body.

For Bucky, his metal left arm is the result of... well, losing his left arm.

Not as thrilling or as cool an origin story, we suppose. But Wade Wilson has definitely heard it. When Wade and Russell are running from Cable during the breakout in the mutant prison - before they realize he's actually coming for the younger of the two mutants - he sizes the time traveler up concisely, calling him a "grumpy old f***er with a Winter Soldier arm!"

Again, leaving fans to wonder if Wade is just referring to the MCU, or acknowledging the infamous Soviet assassin in his own world (whether Disney allows the rights to confirm or deny it).